Taking them away from here (Thanks to Shaojin for the Superfan Certification)
Tiny specks of cool, pale blue starlight seeped into the Blue Knight's skin through his fingertips, rapidly weaving and outlining within her body to form a complex and intricate Stellar Sealing Formation Patterns.
The Heretic aura constantly emanating from the Blue Knight's body and its spreading Pathway were Mutation and temporarily locked within the Formation Patterns, finally stabilizing her faltering life force.
Having done all this, the Astrologer Grand Knight Commander slowly withdrew his hand, his two white eyebrows still tightly furrowed, and said in a deep voice to Brunkel and the nun who had approached:
"The Contamination within her is extremely troublesome, having already become entangled in the very source of her Pathway. Even I, in this Snow Mountain wilderness, can only temporarily seal it with Formation Patterns to slow down the rate of Mutation; I cannot completely eradicate it without harming the Blue Knight's very foundation."
Astrologer Grand Knight Commander finished speaking, he turned to look at Brunkel, who was covered in blood and whose face was as pale as paper, and a clear look of surprise appeared in his half-closed eyes.
He naturally recognized the man before him, a renowned Heretic Cleanser in the Empire, who would not hesitate to behead even his own father if he were Contamination. Given Brunkel's consistently ruthless nature, he should have executed the Blue Knight's Mutation was irreversible. Why would he go against his principles and risk his life to protect him until now?
"Chief Executioner Brunkel," the Astrologer Grand Knight Commander asked, looking at her, "Given your character, since you saw early on that her Mutation was irreversible, why didn't you take action? Instead, you've been struggling with her in this Snow Mountain for over two days."
Brunkel reached up to cover the still-bleeding wound under his ribs, glanced grimly at the Blue Knight on the Stone Platform, and truthfully recounted the whole story:
"When I woke up in the cave more than two days ago, I inexplicably lost a part of my memory, leaving a large blank in my mind. At that time, after discovering that her body was beginning to Mutation and that even the nun's Holy Water and Blessing could not stop it, I did indeed draw my Execution Longsword against her."
"But the moment I raised my sword, a voice inexplicably appeared in my mind that I couldn't erase," Brunkel's fingers tightened slightly on the hilt, her voice tinged with doubt, "That voice kept reminding me to send the Blue Knight back to the Knight Academy as soon as possible, regardless of whether she was Contamination or not. I don't know whose method that was left behind."
The Astrologer Grand Knight Commander and Eli, who was standing to the side, were both taken aback upon hearing this. They exchanged a glance and saw a hint of surprise in each other's eyes.
Eli inwardly gasped. Brunkel was a genuine Fourth Order Transcendence, with an alarmingly high level of vigilance against Heretic and Contamination. To erase a memory without her noticing and plant such a firmly ingrained idea in her mind, the person who did it must have extraordinary abilities.
The Astrologer Grand Knight Commander said slowly, as if deep in thought:
"To erase memories and plant thoughts without your knowledge is no ordinary feat. Moreover, since the other party didn't harm you but instead specifically asked you to send her back to the Knight Academy regardless of whether she was Contamination or not, it means that there is very likely someone within our Knight Academy who can completely cure the Blue Knight."
Brunkel let out a soft Turbid Qi, and taking advantage of the moment when he was out of danger, he immediately and solemnly reported the most critical and urgent military intelligence of the mission to the Astrologer Grand Knight Commander:
"Astrologer Grand Knight Commander, there is another major matter concerning the entire Northern Territory that must be reported immediately. While the Blue Knight and I were screening refugees in the Northern Territory's refugee Quarantine Zone and preparing to hand over the territory to the tribes, we discovered a large-scale Heretic sacrificial Formation that had been set up long ago in a cave within the Quarantine Zone."
"After we cleared out the Heretic from the Quarantine Zone, we immediately contacted the Northern Territory Tribal Alliance to demand an explanation," Brunkel said, a chilling glint in his eyes, as he continued speaking rapidly.
"As a result, the Third Elder sent by the tribe directly led two Fourth Order and dozens of Third Order warriors to rebel and besiege us on the spot. Not only did they reactivate the Sacrificial Inscription in the cave during the battle, but they also splashed that strange potion that could forcibly drag people's sanity into an unknown world during the fight."
"Mobilizing two Fourth Order and dozens of Third Order ambushes in one go—that already accounts for nearly a third of the entire tribal alliance's fighting strength. It's absolutely impossible for the Third Elder to mobilize them on his own," Brunkel stated coldly, enunciating each word clearly.
"The Northern Territory Tribal Alliance has completely betrayed us and joined forces with those Heretic of the Withered Glory Society!"
Upon hearing these words, Eli, who was standing to the side, was suddenly jolted. Instantly, the image of that Calamity Dark Star, a black and red hue that had been shining on the Stargazing Platform for a full thousand years, flashed through his mind.
Ancient texts clearly state that the lighting of the Dark Star signifies the arrival of terrifying natural or man-made disasters. Now, the Northern Territory Tribal Alliance has betrayed the entire Heretic and colluded with the Withered Glory Society, infiltrating a large number of Heretic among the refugees to set up a sacrificial array. The natural and man-made disasters foretold by the Dark Star have indeed been fully ignited in the Northern Territory.
The Astrologer Grand Knight Commander's expression turned extremely serious at this moment. He knew all too well what the Northern Territory tribes' rebellion and the Heretic sacrifice meant. The current situation was far more critical than he had anticipated when he left the Academy. The interpretation ceremony at the Northern Territory Astrology Society could not be delayed for even a moment.
He glanced outside the cave. Although he had already killed all the dozens of Heretic had chased him here, the Mutation within the Blue Knight's body had been temporarily locked within the Formation Patterns by the power of the Fifth Order Stellar Power, preventing it from leaking out and attracting enemies.
But Brunkel and the nuns were already on their last legs, and with tribal rebels and Heretic roaming the Northern Territory Snow Mountain, leaving them here to return alone was far too dangerous, and he was really worried about it.
"Your physical strength and sanity have reached their limits. The Northern Territory is currently rife with tribal rebels and Heretic; leaving you to travel on your own is too dangerous," the Astrologer Grand Knight Commander immediately decided.
"I'll take the unconscious Blue Knight and you with me first, and personally escort you back to the North Campus of the Knight Academy to be treated by the Lantern Knight. After that, I'll take Eli to the Northern Territory Astrology Society. This also aligns with what you were thinking about."
The Astrologer Grand Knight Commander paused, then added, "As for the intelligence regarding the Northern Territory Tribal Alliance's rebellion, I will personally relay it back to the Knight Academy and the Empire, instructing them to take immediate precautions."
Brunkel glanced at the Blue Knight, whose breathing had calmed down on the Stone Platform, and nodded without saying anything more.
After giving his instructions, the Astrologer Grand Knight Commander did not linger. He raised his hand and used a ray of starlight to steadily lift the unconscious Blue Knight from the Stone Platform. He then led Eli, Brunkel, and the nuns out of the cave. The group stepped into the howling snow and sped towards the North Campus of the Knight Academy.